Slip up in 'Keys to British genera ..'

[SheffieldLass]

I don't know if anyone else uses the 'Keys to the British Genera of Agarics and Boleti' by Archie McAdam .. I use it regularly and find it generally very good, but I've discovered that it does slip up on Phaeogalera - Key 31. It seems to be based on Phaeogalera stagnina (the only other Phaeogalera in Britain) which has a quite different habitat, has much bigger and darker spores - the description in the key eliminates Phaeogalera dissimulans from Phaeogalera on about 7 points .

(The other slip-up I've noticed is under Key C2, where Marasmius is not included under E1/1, white spored slender species cap up to 3cm dia. )

Melanie

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Melanie,

Just been pointed to this thread in connection with a post I've made relating to Archie McAdam's book.

Could you perhaps elaborate on the exact nature of the problem(s)? - If necessary, I would be able to contact Archie via the North West Fungus Group, (perhaps copying your post to him if that's ok with you) - he will welcome any information regarding errors, so that they can be put right for any subsequent revisions.

Re your mention of key C2 and E1/1 - which page are you referring to? There are several "C2" keys.

The book was actually revised in October 2010, and I'm trying to establish whether the problems you mention might have been sorted in that revision.

Regards,
Mike.

[Lancashire Lad]

Hi Melanie,

More info, which might help: -

Comparing the online version, with the revised printed version, Key C2 "Gills attached - slender species, cap up to 3 cm diameter" has become Key IIIb.

However, the wording of section E1/1 in both original (online) and revised October 2010 versions is the same: - "Baeospora, Calocybe, Clitocybula, Collybia, Delicatula, Dermoloma, Flammulina, Hemimycena, Hydropus, Laccaria, Mycena, Mycenella, Resinomycena, Squamanita, Strobilurus, Tephrocybe, KEY 30"

Am I right in understanding that you believe Marasmius should be included in the above list?

The wording of section H3 of Key 31: - "Amongst Sphagnum, or on peaty soil or boggy areas in woods, characteristic of acid heaths or moorlands; cap 0.5-2.8 cm, Galerina-like, dark or dull coloured..................cheilocystidia rather variable but forming a sterile edge to the gill; spore print snuff-brown to cigar brown Phaeogalera (2)" is the same in original (online) version, and in the revised October 2010 version.

Myself never having found, and thus not being at all familiar with Phaeogalera, I'm not sure that I've grasped the nature of the problem - but are you saying that the key's description eliminates Phaeogalera dissimulans, when in fact it should be modified so that it allows P.dissimulans to be the species ultimately keyed out here?

Regards,
Mike.

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by SheffieldLass

I don't know if anyone else uses the 'Keys to the British Genera of Agarics and Boleti' by Archie McAdam .. I use it regularly and find it generally very good, but I've discovered that it does slip up on Phaeogalera - Key 31. It seems to be based on Phaeogalera stagnina (the only other Phaeogalera in Britain) which has a quite different habitat, has much bigger and darker spores - the description in the key eliminates Phaeogalera dissimulans from Phaeogalera on about 7 points .



Melanie

That probably why P dissimulans is now no longer Phaeogalera but Meottomyces dissimulans.